If about 10% of our energy intake is from added sugars - and it is often more - then advising patients to reduce this brings benefits which I have seen in many patients in primary care. To give up sugar in hot drinks and give up soft drinks should be the opening gambit of any sensible dietary advice.

While the parallel between advising obese patients about sugar and advising patients with COPD about smoking is clear, the big difference is that sugar can easily be reduced by everyone as its overuse is almost universal. Replacing empty sugar calories with nutrient rich foods can benefit the thin.

We need government action on this matter as soon as possible, but with the food lobby as powerful now as the tobacco lobby was not so long ago, I won't be betting my pension on it!